What's the Big Idea? There Are Many at Louisville IdeaFestival

By Steven Rosen

Plenty of cultural festivals already devote themselves to music, film, food, drama, heritage and dance. But Louisville has one dedicated to the fine art of thinking.

The Louisville IdeaFestival, held Wednesday-Saturday at downtown's Kentucky Center for the Arts and other nearby sites, presents guests from around the world who have innovative new thoughts about many social, economic, political, scientific and environmental problems. They speak or give presentations to audiences, who often are invited to ask questions and share comments.

But it is not a "think tank" retreat for CEOs and academics. Rather, it's meant to be an affordable and entertaining festival for people of all ages and backgrounds.

"Our model is the Sundance Film Festival, but we're focusing on ideas rather than film," says Kris Kimel, who founded the festival and is president of the nonprofit Kentucky Science & Technology Corp. Last year, attendance at various sessions was about 4,500, he said.

This year's lineup of 30-plus guests shows the fest's inventive programming and sense of discovery. They include 3-D chalk artist Julian Beever of Belgium; Kjerstin Erickson of FORGE, an international group advocating entrepreneurship within African refugee communities; Ahn Trio, three South Korean sisters who play avant-garde chamber music; British geologist Chris Turney, who has studied the history of climate change; chef Anthony Bordain, host of Travel Channel's "No Reservations"; Naomi Tutu, daughter of South African human-rights advocate Desmond Tutu; astronomer and writer Bob Berman, who advocates that life created the universe rather than the more-accepted reverse belief; and filmmaker Domenica Cameron-Scorsese, daughter of Martin Scorsese.

"It's pretty eclectic," Kimel says. "We deliberately schedule these so there is no single theme. We want people to come out of one event and go to something completely different."

An all-access pass for the festival costs $399, $215 for students. Single-day passes are also available for prices ranging from $140-$149. Admission to individual events ranges from free admission to $35. Find details at www.ideafestival.com.

IdeaFestival started in 2000 in Lexington to mark hope for the new millennium. It was held there on even-numbered years before moving to Louisville in 2006 and becoming an annual event. It has an $800,000 budget, plus another $100,000 in contributed services.

Last year, it was at the Kentucky International Convention Center. It moves this year to take its place among the arts organizations, hotels and museums of Main Street, the cultural center of the city.

Several hundred people attended a multimedia presentation by illusionist Raymond Teller, of the magic act Penn & Teller, on "The Science and Wonder of Magic." It was a rare opportunity to see him break character and talk about the psychological complexity behind magic.

That was followed in a smaller room by cutting-edge Danish architect Bjarke Ingels, who spoke on "Designs on the Inner City." One of the interesting things he revealed was Copenhagen's plan to lend its iconic Little Mermaid statue, which rests on a rock in the city's harbor, to Shanghai for that city's 2010 World Expo. Ingels' talk was an indication of how seriously countries such as Denmark and cities such as Copenhagen are taking that upcoming international exposition.

Next was the Immaculee Ilibagiza, whose topic "Surviving Rwanda" detailed how she and seven other women hid in a bathroom for some 90 days to escape that country's genocidal massacres. She also highlighted how she came to look for the good - and the godly - in people during the most extreme tests imaginable.

This year should be equally valuable, Kimel says. "When you come to the festival, you'll hear from authors, from experts and designers, all of whom are great innovators. We all have something to learn from them."

Additional Facts


If you go

What: Louisville IdeaFestival

When: Wednesday-Saturday

Where: Kentucky Center for the Arts Other events: Two hotels near the arts center are also sponsoring IdeaFestival events - the Galt House at 140 N. Fourth St. (www.galthouse.com; 502-589-5200) and 21C Hotel at 700 W. Main St. (www.21chotel.com; 502-217-6300.

Getting there: Louisville is about 1¾ hours south on Interstate 71. As you enter Louisville, merge onto Interstate 64 west and then take the Third Street/River Road exit. Stay straight onto North Third Street, then turn right on West Main Street. The Kentucky Center for the Arts is at 501 N. Main St.; its parking garage is behind it on Sixth Street.

(This originally ran in Cincinnati Enquirer, 9/20/09.)